Mailbox status system and method

• US 6,995,671 B2
• Filed: 01/15/2002
• Issued: 02/07/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 01/15/2002
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Olympus Corporation
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Dutta, Rabindranath, Spring, Eduardo N., Ravi, Kumar
• Primary Examiner(s): Tsang, Fan
• Assistant Examiner(s): SING, SIMON P
• Application Number:
  US10/047,117
• Publication Number:
  US 20030134620A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,484 Days
• Field of Search: 455/414.1, 340/569, 232/37
• US Class Current: 340/569
• CPC Class Codes: A47G 2029/1226 comprising electrical parts
• CPC Class Codes: A47G 2029/1228 activated by the weight of the letter
• CPC Class Codes: A47G 29/1214 including a receiver located remotely from the letter-box and a transmitter
• CPC Class Codes: A47G 29/30 Accessories, e.g. signalling devices, lamps, means for leaving messages

Abstract

A method, apparatus and program for notifying an electronic address of the presence of physical mail in a designated mailbox is provided. The presence of at least one piece of mail in the mailbox is detected and an electronic notification is transmitted to the address indicating the presence of the at least one piece of mail.

Claims

1. A method for notifying an electronic address of the presence of physical mail in a designated mailbox, comprising:

detecting at least one piece of mail in the mailbox;

mapping the mailbox to the electronic address;

detecting a weight of the at least one piece of mail in the mailbox;

determining whether to send a notification to the address based on the weight information; and

if so determined by the determining step, transmitting an electronic notification to the address indicating the presence of the at least one piece of mail in the mailbox.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

storing preferences associated with the mailbox, wherein the preferences comprise a specified weight to be detected before executing the step of transmitting an electronic notification; and

receiving an instruction that defines the specified weight as one of the stored preferences.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving an indication that at least one piece of mail has been placed in an alternate mailbox;

transmitting an electronic notification to the address indicating the presence of the at least one piece of mail placed in the alternate mailbox.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein the electronic notification further indicates that the at least one piece of mail placed in the alternate mailbox comprises a parcel.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the detecting is performed electronically.

6. An apparatus for notifying an electronic address of the presence of physical mail in the designated mailbox, comprising:

at least one mailbox, wherein the mailbox is adapted to receive at least one physical piece of mail;

a detecting means associated with the mailbox, wherein the detecting means is adapted to detect the weight of the at least one physical piece mail in the mailbox;

a transmitting means associated with the detecting means, wherein the transmitting means is adapted to transmit signals indicating the weight of mail in the mailbox; and

a processing means for receiving the signals from the detecting means and for determining whether to send a notification to the address based on the weight information.

7. The apparatus of claim 6, further comprising:

memory adapted for storing preferences associated with the mailbox, wherein the preferences comprise a specified weight to be detected before executing the step of transmitting an electronic notification; and

an input device to receive an instruction from an end user that defines the specified weight as one of the stored preferences.

8. The apparatus of claim 6, wherein the detecting means is electronically activated.

9. The apparatus of claim 6, wherein the detecting means is manually activated.

10. The apparatus of claim 6, further comprising:

a receiving means to receive an indication that at least one piece of mail has been placed in an alternate mailbox, wherein transmitting means transmits an electronic notification to the address indicating the presence of the at least one piece of mail placed in the alternate mailbox.

11. A computer program product comprising a computer usable medium including computer usable program code for notifying an electronic address of the presence of physical mail in a designated mailbox, the computer program product comprising:

computer usable program code for detecting at least one piece of mail in the mailbox;

computer usable program code for mapping the mailbox to the electronic address;

computer usable program code for detecting a weight of the at least one piece of mail in the mailbox;

computer usable program code for determining whether to send a notification to the address based on the weight information; and

computer usable program code for transmitting an electronic notification to the address indicating the presence of the at least one piece of mail in the mailbox.

12. The computer program product of claim 11, further comprising:

computer usable program code for storing preferences associated with the mailbox, wherein the preferences comprise a specified weight to be detected before executing the step of transmitting an electronic notification; and

computer usable program code for receiving an instruction that defines the specified weight as one of the stored preferences.

13. The computer program product of claim 11, further comprising:

computer usable program code for receiving an indication that at least one piece of mail has been placed in an alternate mailbox;

computer usable program code for transmitting an electronic notification to the address indicating the presence of the at least one piece of mail placed in the alternate mailbox.